The Nigerian Federal government has awarded China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) a USD 6.68 billion contract for the construction of a section of the economic capital Lagos (Southwest) to Kano (North) line, a press statement from the Federal Ministry of Transport reported.
„The signing of the Ibadan-Kaduna section contract marks the final step in the construction of the Lagos-Kano railway line”, said Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, adding that construction work on the new rail line should be spread over „a period of two to three years”.
CCECC, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), was already involved in the construction of the Lagos-Kano line. In 2016, the government awarded the Chinese company a USD 1.685 billion contract for the construction of the Kano-Kaduna section of this gigantic rail project partially financed by the China Export-Import Bank (China Eximbank).
Minister Amaechi promised that the Ministry should be able to provide its counterpart funding between this year and next year budget provision. The statement noted that the Ibadan-Kaduna Standard Gauge line will pass through Oshogbo-Ilorin-Minna to Kaduna, with a single track branch line from Oshogbo to Ado-Ekiti.
“The Federal government in March 2017 commenced implementation of the second leg of the Lagos – Kano line which is the Lagos-Ibadan Rail line that is currently on-going and is planned to be completed by the end of 2018.
“Signing of this Ibadan –Kaduna Segment Contract Agreement today concludes all outstanding Segment of Lagos – Kano Rail Line,” the press statement notes.
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